1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to roof-mounted skylights, and more particularly, to a tracking reflector assembly for use in conjunction with such a skylight whereby the reflector automatically tracks daily and seasonal movements of the sun for selectively increasing the amount of sunlight directed through the skylight.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Roof mounted skylights have long been used as an inexpensive means for illuminating and, to some extent, heating homes, offices, and commercial buildings. In recent years, the popularity of skylights has been increasing due to greater public awareness of the need to conserve energy. In reality, however, the use of skylights often results in a net energy loss due to summer heat gain through the skylight in warmer climates and winter heat loss through the skylight in colder climates. A further disadvantage of the conventional skylight is that it does not presently appear to qualify for federal tax credits as an energy conserving device.
In applicant's co-pending patent application Ser. No. 256,057, an apparatus is disclosed for selectively reflecting additional amounts of sunlight through a skylight while shading the skylight from direct overhead summer sunlight. While significantly improving upon the performance of a conventional skylight, the reflector/shade apparatus disclosed in the aforementioned patent application is not adapated to automatically track daily and seasonal movements of the sun. Accordingly, useage of the reflective surface during early morning and late afternoon hours is not optimized. Moreover, the position of the reflector must periodically be manually adjusted to account for seasonal variations in the position of the sun, thereby requiring the user to go up to the roof to the point at which the skylight is located.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,709,583 discloses a covering device for skylights, including a frame mounted in the skylight opening and including horizontally disposed reflector panels. The frame may be rotated, and the panels may be tilted, to follow relative movements of the sun. The reflective panels are of the so-called "triple reflector" type and are adapted to reflect away from the skylight light rays impinging upon the skylight at particular angles. While serving to prevent excessive heat gain during summer months, the device disclosed in this patent is incapable of significantly increasing the amount of light directed through the skylight during winter months and during early morning and later afternoon hours of summer.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,114,186, issued to the present applicant, discloses a lighting fixture which, in one embodiment thereof, includes a telescoping cylindrical light duct including a rotatable top portion having a pivotally connected reflective lid. The specification within applicant's patent describes certain apparatus which may be used to rotate the upper portion of the light fixture in order to follow movements of the sun. However, no means is provided for controlling the elevation of the reflective lid to follow elevational movements of the sun. More importantly, the lighting fixture disclosed by this patent is not adaptable for useage with a conventional skylight.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an apparatus for selectively reflecting sunlight through a conventional skylight in addition to sunlight which directly strikes the skylight, which apparatus is adapted to track daily and seasonal movements of the sun.
It is another object of the present invention to provide an apparatus for useage in conjunction with a conventional skylight which increases the amount of light and associated heat gain provided by the skylight during winter months and which is adapted to increase the amount of light provided by the skylight during early morning and late afternoon portions of summer days while preventing excessive amounts of light and associated heat gain from passing through the skylight during the middle portion of summer days.
It is yet another object of the present invention to provide such a tracking skylight reflector assembly which is of relatively inexpensive and simple construction, which is relatively immune to adverse weather conditions, and which may easily be installed for use with new or existing skylights.
It is still another object of the present invention to provide such a tracking skylight reflector assembly that may easily be secured to the frame of a conventional skylight and which may be easily adjusted to account for the dome height of a wide variety of skylights.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide such a tracking skylight reflector assembly which is capable of automatically cycling itself from one day to the next.
It is still a further object of the present invention to provide such a tracking skylight reflector assembly which is adapted to automatically shut down during periods of heavy overcast or dangerously high winds.
It is a still further object of the present invention to provide such a tracking skylight reflector assembly which may be conveniently controlled by a user to either operate under automatic control or to shut down to a passive readied position until the user again enables the automatic controls.
These and other objects of the present invention will become more apparent to those skilled in the art as the description thereof proceeds.